Africa

Bombmaker charged - More than 30 years after a bomb exploded on a plane over Scotland, a Libyan man has been charged in connection to the attack. Abu Agila Mohammad Masud has been charged with terrorism crimes and is accused of constructing the bomb. The attack occurred 32 years ago and killed 270 people.

New Coronavirus variant in South Africa - South Africa is working with the World Health Organization as a new variant of the Coronavirus is rising in parts of the country. The variant was discovered earlier this month, and scientists say it is different than one discovered in the United Kingdom. However, the variant is similar in that it the virus attaches to human cells. Countries like Germany and Switzerland have banned flights from South Africa because of the variant.

Asia

Two found guilty for killing Vietnamese migrants - Gheorghe Nica and Eamonn Harrison were both found guilty of manslaughter after a lorry trailer in Essex was found with 39 Vietnamese migrants dead inside. Among the victims included a university graduate, a bricklayer and a nail technician. The migrants were between the ages of 15 and 44 years old and suffocated in a sealed container on the lorry trailer.

COVID-19 on the rise in Thailand - After avoiding a spike in COVID-19 cases, hundreds of cases of the virus have been reported. The spike is connected to a seafood market and has caused the province of Samut Sakhon, an area where mostly migrants work, to be locked down. On Monday, Thailand reported that 360 migrant workers tested positive for the virus. At least 40,000 people in the country have been tested recently.

Europe

Far-right attacker jailed for life - Stephan Balliet, who killed a female passer-by and a man at a kebab shop in 2019, has been sentenced to life in jail. Balliet attacked the man and woman after he failed to break into a synagogue where 52 Jewish people were worshipping. If he had successfully entered the synagogue, it could’ve been the largest anti-Semitic attack since World War II. During his trial, Balliet denied the Holocaust happened and laughed when it was mentioned in court.

Coronavirus variant hits the UK - Germany, Canada, Spain and India are among the more than 40 countries that have banned UK arrivals due to the spread of a new variant of the Coronavirus. The variant, which could be as high as 70 percent more contagious than the virus strains that already exist, is in every area of the UK, and leaders are encouraging residents to stay put and not travel. Meanwhile, at least 500,000 people in the United Kingdom have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Latin America

Chile president fined - Chile President Sebastian Pinera was fined $3,500 after a photo of him and a woman not wearing masks went viral earlier this month. Chile’s laws about wearing masks in public are strict and can include penalties of fines and jail terms. Chile has recorded 581,135 cases and 16,051 deaths related to the virus.

Mexico City to take new measures against the virus - Mexico City plans to close indoor dining and is only allowing sectors like transport, construction, health and energy companies to remain open. At least 75 percent of hospitals in the area are at compacity as Mexico has reported 1.2 million COVID-19 cases. Mexico City has been placed into the “red level,” and leaders have urged people to avoid parties and gatherings ahead of the holidays.

North America

Delivery error for COVID-19 vaccines - Gen. Gustave Perna, the army general in charge of distributing COVID vaccines, said the United States failed to distribute the amount of vaccines it had expected to deliver. Some states are expecting the doses they will receive next week to be lower than expected including California, New York and Washington. The newly approved Moderna vaccine was recently shipped out and around 20 million doses of vaccines are expected to arrive to states on the first week of January.

Senate/Congress approve aid - Lawmakers agreed to a nearly $900 billion package of financial aid that will be distributed to Americans, businesses and unemployment programs. Around 12 million Americans were at risk of losing unemployment benefits. The financial package will include one time $600 stimulus payments to most Americans. The checks could be sent out as soon as next week.